Alterations in EGFR, PDGF, INK4a, p53 and/or PTEN are among the most common lesions encountered in malignant gliomas. Notably, a significant proportion of malignant gliomas do not harbor these signature genetic lesions, implying that many other glioma relevant mutations remain unidentified. Recent advances in functional genomics have provided new capabilities for the rapid identification and characterization of candidate glioma-relevant genes and their pathways. Taking advantage of the presence of recurrent chromosomal alterations associated with amplification or deletion of specific genes in malignant gliomas, array-based CGH technique has identified five high-frequency regions of gains. Employing the newly optimized array-based CGH on cDNA microarray platform, we will finely map and characterize these five loci of chromosomal aberrations to identify all candidate genes within the minimal regions of involvement. Complemented with various expression - based analyses, we will identify the most likely targets of CNAs for in vitro and in vivo functional validation. The highest potential candidate glioma oncogene will be further validated by rigorous in vivo transgenesis study.